Rocker actuator for push button switches

ABSTRACT

A switch actuator comprising a resilient rocker plate that is pivotally mounted for rocking motion with respect to and for alternate actuation of two spring biased button switches. The plate is formed with oppositely disposed resiliently hinged arms. Each arm is arranged to actuate an individually associated one of the switches as the plate is rocked to one extreme position or the other. The resilient hinge of each arm is obtained by providing a recess in the portion of the arm adjacent the connection thereof to the plate. Stops are provided for limiting the rocking movement of the rocker plate whereby the force actuating the button switches is determined by the resilience of the hinged arms. The hinges of the arms are so made as to provide only that force required to actuate the button switches, thereby precluding applying overloading forces to the switches.

Kessler et al.

[451 Apr. 16, 1974 ROCKER ACTUATOR FOR PUSH BUTTON Primary Examiner-Robert K. Schaefer SWITCHES Assistant Examiner-William J. Smith Attorney, Agent, or FirmArthur H. Swanson; Lock- [75] Inventors: Christian E. Kessler, Roslyn; Ralph M Levy Abington; William Donald wood D. Burton, John Shaw Stevenson McDermott, Roslyn, all of Pa.

[73] Assignee: Honeywell Inc., Minneapolis, Minn. ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Oct. 13, 1972 A switch actuator comprising a resilient rocker plate that is pivotally mounted for rocking motion with re- [21] Appl' 297330 spect to and for alternate actuation of two spring biased button switches. The plate is formed with oppo- [52] U.S. Cl. ..200/332, 200/ 153 T sitely disposed resiliently hinged arms. Each arm is ar- [51] Int. Cl. .L H0lh 3/02 ranged to actuate an individually associated one of the [58] Field of Search 200/172 A, 153 T, 153 K switches as the plate is rocked to one extreme position or the other. The resilient hinge of each arm is ob- [56] References Cited tained by providing a recess in the portion of the arm UNITED STATES PATENTS adjacent the connection thereof to the plate. Stops are 2 7 845 2/l955 De Smidt ZOO/172 A provided for limiting the rocking movement of the 3 632 940 1 1972 Burns......III IIIIII: 200/172 A mcker Plate whereby the actuating the button 3:68l:556 8/1972 Osika 200/172 A 1 Switches is determined by the resilience of the hinged arms. The hinges of the arms are so made as to pro- FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS vide only that force required to actuate the button 1,113,338 5/1968 Great Britain 200/172 A witches, thereby precluding applying overloading forces to the switches.

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The invention relates to improved electrical switch actuators of the type generally classified in the U.S. Pa-

tent Office in class 200, Electricity, Circuit Makers and l Breakers, sub-class 172, Handles or Buttons.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There have been many different types of mechanically actuating devices disclosed in the prior art for actuating spring biased button switches. One example of such a prior art mechanically actuating device is shown in the DeSmidt U.S. Pat. No. 2,702,845.

The mechanical switch actuating device disclosed in the DeSmidt patent includes a rocker plate that is pivoted for rocking movement about a pivot member. When the rocker plate is rocked in one direction about its pivot, one rigid end part of the plate is moved through an arc until it physically comes into abrupt impact contact with the button of a first spring biased electric contact. Upon movement of the rocker plate in an opposite direction about its pivot, an opposite rigid end of the plate is similarly moved until it physically abruptly impacts with the button of a second spring biased electric contact.

Such switches have not been satisfactory in use because repetitive impacting of the rocker plate with the buttons of the switches causes impairment of the switch contacting surfaces of the rocker arm and the switches including the spring biasing element thereof. Such impairment has been due to the impacting and overloading forces applied to the switches.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An actuator constructed of a tough resilient material that is comprised of:

a rocker-plate or lever mounted for arcuate movement on a stationary support between two switches;

a hinged arm extending from each side ofthe lever for engaging and closing "one or the other of the switches upon movement of the lever through an arc in a clockwise or counter clockwise direction and a stop means formed on the lever to prevent further motion of the lever in the same direction when either one of the hinged arms has been brought into engagement with its associated switch.

FIG. 1 shows the neutral position of the a dual switch actuator with its upper support plate removed and further shows one of its many uses, e.g., its use with a controller to adjust the degree to which a valve in a flow line is opened or closed;

FIG. 2 shows the switch actuator in closed relationship with a first one of the two switches;

FIG. 3 shows the switch actuator in close relationship with a second one of the two switches;

FIG. 4 shows the switch actuator mounted in the front of an instrument having a scale indicating a position of a controlled member e.g. a valve whose position is controlled by the switch and FIG. 5 is a graph to indicate how different slow and- /or fast opening or closing operations of a valve can be affected by selective short or long term thumb engagement with the switch actuating lever.

FIG. 1 shows a switch actuating lever 10 which is made of either a plate of commercial material identified in the trade as black plastic polypropylene or any other equivilent tough-resilient plate material.

The inner end 12 of the switch actuating lever 10 is shown having a cylindrical apertured wall portion 14 for rotatably mounting it on a pin 16. The pin 16 in turn is shown in FIGS. 2 and 1 passing through an upper rectangular shaped support plate 18 through the aper- 0 tured wall portion 14 in lever 10 and then through a second stationary rectangular shaped support plate 20. The top and bottom of this pin 16 is peened over against the outer surfaces of its associated plates 18 and 20. FIG. 2 shows that the support plate 18 is provided with two pair of cylindrical, spaced apart bosses 22, 24; 26, 28.

A pair of button type switches 30, 32 are mounted in fixed non-rotatable relationship on the support plate 18 by means of a pair of cylindrical shaped apertured walls 34, 36, 38 40 that extend into the outer upper surface of the casing in each of the switches 30, 32 each wall of which is engaged with a different one of the bosses 22, 24, 26 or 28.

Although not shown it should be understood that additional bosses are provided on the support plate 20, in a similar manner to the bosses that were described supra for the plate 18, which are engageable with the apertured wall portions, not shown, that are formed in the other side of the body of the switches 30, 32.

From the aforementioned description it can be seen that the switches 30, 32 are not only retained in nonrotatable position on the support 18, 20 but are prevented from becoming dislodged from their position in a vertical direction because the plates 18, 20 are tied together by the pin 16.

Since the switch actuating lever 10 is thinner than the body of the switches 30, 32 against which the support 18, 20 are fitted it can be readily moved through an are between the body of the switches 30, 32 and about the pivot pin 16.

Separate arms 42, 44 extend outwardly from the right and left side of the switch actuator 10. Associated recesses 46, 48 are shown at the inner end of these arms 42, 44. The position of the arm 42 and 44 in which the respective recesses 46, 48 are formed provide a built-in hinge between the vertical portion 50 of the switch actuator l0 and the remaining outer portions of their assocaited arms 42, 44. In a manner to be described the arms 42 and 44 are not allowed to be deflected beyond their elastic limits. The resilient nature of the previously mentioned material from which these arms 42, 44 are made will also allow the arms to return to their original position as shown in FIG. 1 even after these arms have been continuously deflected over long periods of time.

The central outer end portion 52 of the switch actuating lever 10 has a slotted out wall portion 54 formed therein.

Two wing portions 56, 58 are shown extending upwardly and in associated right and left directions from the central outer end portions 52 of the switch actuating lever 10.

When the outer edge 60 of the wing portion 58is depressed slightly, by e.g. the operators thumb and in the direction of the arrow 62 shown in FIG. 2, the lever 10 will be moved in a counter-clockwise direction about its pivot pin 16 and the motion of the outer end of the arm 44 that then takes place will force the spring loaded button 64 of the switch 32 to a depressed close position.

As this closing action of the switch 32 takes place the outer end of arm 44 will be flexed in an upward direction about its recessed hinged portion 48. The switch 32 forms a part of a circuit of an electric controller 66 and is shown connected thereto by the conductors 68, 70 extending between the terminal 72, 74, 76 and 78. The electric circuit for the controller 66 is described in detail in the James A. Hogan application, Ser. No. 305,068 entitled Process Controller having Electronic Manual Control and filed on Nov. 9, 1972.

If a slight force is applied by way of the thumb of the operator in the direction of the arrow 62 to retain the switch 32 closed, e.g. for seconds, this switch closing action will cause the electric circuit of controller 66 to transmit a signal by way of conductor 80 and 82 and electric valve actuator 34 to effect the closing of the stem 86 of valve 88 in flow line 90. It should be noted that while the switch 32 is being held in the aforementioned position by the retension of the thumb of the operator on the edge 60 of wing 58 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 for ten seconds it will cause the controller 66 to initially transmit during the first second a non-linear signal to the valve 88 as illustrated at 92 on the graph shown in FIG. 5.

For the remaining nine seconds that the switch 32 is held in this position the controller will send a signal in the manner noted supra to the valve actuator 84 to close the valve 88 at a linear scale rate as indicated by the part of the graph identified at 94 in FIG. 5. During the time in which the valve is closed by the operator the lever 96 of the controller 62 will be in a manual position indicated as M in FIG. 4.

While the valve is closed in the aforrnentioned manner the indicator 98 on the valve scale 100, as shown in FIG. 4, will be moved down scale in a direction between its 100 percent open indicating mark and its zero percent open indicating mark.

It should also be noted that after the button 64 of the switch 32 has been depressed sufficiently by arm 44 to place it in a closed position as shown in FIG. 2 a rectangular shaped stop member 102 will then be brought into contact with the stationary body portion 104 of the switch 32. This action will prevent further bending from occuring in the arm 44 and will also indicate to the operator that he has applied a sufficient force to the edge 60 of the switch actuating lever 10 to retain the button 64 of the switch 32 in a closed position. Also, this action prevents any greater force than that required to hold switch 32 on closed position from being applied to the switch 32.

When the slight pressure of the operator's thumb on the outer edge 60 is released the energy stored in the hinged portion 48 of the arm 44 will cause the hinge and remaining portion of lever 10 to be returned to the position as shown in FIG. 1.

When the outer edge 106 of the wing 56 is depressed slightly by for example the operators thumb and in the direction of the arrow 108 shown in FIG. 3 the lever 10 will be moved in a clockwise direction about its pivot pin 16 and the motion of the outer end of th arm 42 that then takes place will force the spring loaded button 110 of the switch 30 to a depressed closed position.

As this closing action of the switch 30 takes place the outer end of the arm 42 will be deflected in an upward direction about its recessed hinged portion 46.

The switch 30 also forms a part of controller 66 and is shown connected thereto by the conductors l 12, 114 extending between the terminals 116, 118, 120, 122.

If a slight force is applied by way of the thumb of the operator to edge 106 to retain the switch 30 in a closed position for e.g. 10 seconds this switch closing action will cause the electrical circuit of controller 66 to transmit a signal by way of conductors 80, 82 to the electric valve operator 84 to affect the opening of the stem 86 of the valve in the flow line 90.

It should be noted that while the switch 30 is being held in the aforementioned open position by the retention of the thumb of the operator on the edge 106 of wing 56 for ten seconds it will in a reverse manner to that previously described for the closing valve operation cause the controller to initially transmit during the first second a non-linear signal to the electric valve operator 84 associated with valve 88 in a down scale direction.

For the remaining 9 seconds that the switch 30 is held in its position the controller will send a signal in a manner noted supra to the valve actuator 84 to open the valve 88 at a linear down scale rate. As the valve is opened by the operator the lever 96 of the controller 66 will have been still retained in manual position indicated as M in FIG. 4. While the valve is opened in the aforementioned manner the indicator 98.0n the valve scale will be moved up scale in a direction between its zero percent open indicating mark and its 100 percent open indicating mark.

It should also be noted that after the button of the switch 30 has been depressed sufficiently by the arm 42 to place it in a closed position as shown in FIG. 3 a rectangular shaped stop member 124 will then be brought into contact with the stationary body of the switch 30 as shown at 126. This action will prevent any further bending from occuring in the arm 42 and will also indicate to the operator that he has supplied a sufficient force to the edge 106 of the switch actuating lever 10 to retain the button 110 of the switch 30 in a closed position. Also, this action prevents any greater force than that required to hold switch 30 in closed position from being applied to the switch 30.

When the slight pressure of the operator's thumb on the outer edge 106 is released the energy stored in the hinged portion 46 of the arm 42 will cause the hinge and the remaining portion of the lever 10 to be returned to the position as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 further shows that if the operator intermittently depresses and releases the outer edge 60 of the wing 58 of the switch actuator 10 in a jogging fashion so that it is constantly moved between the FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 positions a series of nonlinear signals 128 similar to that shown at 92 but moving in an upward direction will be applied by way of the controller 66 and actuator 84 to close the valve 88 in a slow step by step fashion.

FIG. 5 also shows that if the operator intermittently depresses and releases the outer edge 106 of the wing 50 of the switch actuator 10 in a jogging fashion so that it is constantly moved between its FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 positions a series of nonlinear signals 130 similar to that shown at 92 but moving in a downward direction will be applied by way of the controller 66 and actuator 84 to open the valve 88 in a slow step by step fashion.

If the operator then wants to close the valve 88 he can then retain the lever in a closed position for the time limit shown in FIG. 5 in order to produce the characterized signal 132.

FIG. 5 also shows that an initial nonlinear signal to slowly close the valve 88 can be started similar to that shown at 92 followed by a rapid linear signal to rapidly close the valve as shown at 134 for the time indicated, by retaining the switch actuator 10 in the position shown in FIG. 2. If it is then desired to open the valve this opening will occur slowly at first as shown at 136 and then rapidly as shown in 138 in FIG. 5.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An actuating apparatus comprising a lever constructed of resilient material and pivotally mounted for arcuate movement on a stationary member, said lever having at least one arm extending outwardly therefrom, a recess in said arm adjacent said lever, said portion of said arm containing said recess providing a hinge about which the remaining portion of said arm is flexed relative to said lever during said movement of said lever in one direction along its arcuate path and while said arm engages a movable part that is to be actuated.

2. An actuating apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the lever and its associated arm comprises a unitary plastic plate.

3. An actuating apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the arm comprises a flat elongated plate the longitudinal axis of which extends in a direction normal to the longitudinal axis of the lever.

4. An actuating apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the lever is pivotally mounted at one end thereof on said stationary member and wherein its other end has a wing portion extending outwardly and laterally therefrom to thereby provide a means for effecting said arcuate movement of said lever and deflection of said arm into said flexed condition with said movable part.

5. An actuating apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the lever is provided with a second arrnv which is flexibly connected thereto in the same manner as the first mentioned arm, said second arm being positioned to extend outwardly from the lever in the opposite direction from that in which the first arm extends from said lever, said second arm being capable of flexing about said lever during arcuate motion of said lever in the opposite direction and while said second arm engages a second movable part that is to be actuated.

6. An actuating apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the lever is provided with a stop member extending therefrom to engage and adapted said stationary member to prevent further arcuate movement of the lever and its associated arm when the arm has engaged and moved the movable part a predetermined distance.

7. An actuating apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the lever is pivotally mounted at one end thereof on said stationary member, and wherein the opposite end of said lever has two spaced apart wing portions extending outwardly therefrom to thereby provide a means for effecting arcuate motion of the lever in said one direction and in the opposite direction.

8. An apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein the stationary member includes a pair of plates between which a spring biased button switch is mounted, from which switch said movable part to be actuated extends, and wherein the said lever is pivotally mounted on a pivot pin that extends between said pair of plates.

9. An apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein the stationary member includes a pair of plates between which a spring biased button switch is mounted, from which switch said movable part to be actuated extends, between which pair of plates is mounted a second spring biased button switch from which an additional movable part extends, wherein the said lever is provided with a second arm which is flexibly connected thereto in the same manner as the first mentioned arm, said second arm extending outwardly from the lever in a direction opposite to that from which the first arm extends and over said additional movable part, and wherein the lever and the said arms extending therefrom are pivotally mounted on a pivot pin that extends between said pair of plates thereby to permit arcuate movement of said first and second arms into and out of engagement with the movable parts of said first and second switches, respectively.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the stationary member includes a pair of plates between which a spring biased button switch is mounted, from which switch said movable part .to be actuated extends, between which pair of plates is mounted a second spring biased button switch from which'an additional movable part extends, wherein the said lever is provided with a second arm which is flexibly connected thereto in the same manner as the first mentioned arm, said second arm extending outwardly from the lever in a direction opposite to that from which the first arm extends and over said additional movable part, the lever and the said arms extending therefrom are pivotally mounted on a pivot pin that extends between said pair of plates thereby to permit arcuate movement of said first and second mentioned arms into and out of engagement with the movable parts of said first and second switches with which each of said arms are associated and wherein the lever is provided with a stop means extending therefrom and adapted to alternately engage said stationary member and thereby prevent further arcuate movement of the lever and its associated arm from taking place after each arm has engaged and moved its said movable part a desired distance.

n 4: a a: v 

1. An actuating apparatus comprising a lever constructed of resilient material and pivotally mounted for arcuate movement on a stationary member, said lever having at least one arm extending outwardly therefrom, a recess in said arm adjacent said lever, said portion of said arm containiNg said recess providing a hinge about which the remaining portion of said arm is flexed relative to said lever during said movement of said lever in one direction along its arcuate path and while said arm engages a movable part that is to be actuated.
 2. An actuating apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the lever and its associated arm comprises a unitary plastic plate.
 3. An actuating apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the arm comprises a flat elongated plate the longitudinal axis of which extends in a direction normal to the longitudinal axis of the lever.
 4. An actuating apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the lever is pivotally mounted at one end thereof on said stationary member and wherein its other end has a wing portion extending outwardly and laterally therefrom to thereby provide a means for effecting said arcuate movement of said lever and deflection of said arm into said flexed condition with said movable part.
 5. An actuating apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the lever is provided with a second arm which is flexibly connected thereto in the same manner as the first mentioned arm, said second arm being positioned to extend outwardly from the lever in the opposite direction from that in which the first arm extends from said lever, said second arm being capable of flexing about said lever during arcuate motion of said lever in the opposite direction and while said second arm engages a second movable part that is to be actuated.
 6. An actuating apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the lever is provided with a stop member extending therefrom to engage and adapted said stationary member to prevent further arcuate movement of the lever and its associated arm when the arm has engaged and moved the movable part a predetermined distance.
 7. An actuating apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the lever is pivotally mounted at one end thereof on said stationary member, and wherein the opposite end of said lever has two spaced apart wing portions extending outwardly therefrom to thereby provide a means for effecting arcuate motion of the lever in said one direction and in the opposite direction.
 8. An apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein the stationary member includes a pair of plates between which a spring biased button switch is mounted, from which switch said movable part to be actuated extends, and wherein the said lever is pivotally mounted on a pivot pin that extends between said pair of plates.
 9. An apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein the stationary member includes a pair of plates between which a spring biased button switch is mounted, from which switch said movable part to be actuated extends, between which pair of plates is mounted a second spring biased button switch from which an additional movable part extends, wherein the said lever is provided with a second arm which is flexibly connected thereto in the same manner as the first mentioned arm, said second arm extending outwardly from the lever in a direction opposite to that from which the first arm extends and over said additional movable part, and wherein the lever and the said arms extending therefrom are pivotally mounted on a pivot pin that extends between said pair of plates thereby to permit arcuate movement of said first and second arms into and out of engagement with the movable parts of said first and second switches, respectively.
 10. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the stationary member includes a pair of plates between which a spring biased button switch is mounted, from which switch said movable part to be actuated extends, between which pair of plates is mounted a second spring biased button switch from which an additional movable part extends, wherein the said lever is provided with a second arm which is flexibly connected thereto in the same manner as the first mentioned arm, said second arm extending outwardly from the lever in a direction opposite to that from which the first arm extends and over said additional movable part, the lever and the said arms extending therefrom are pivotally mounted on a pivot pin that extends between said pair of plates thereby to permit arcuate movement of said first and second mentioned arms into and out of engagement with the movable parts of said first and second switches with which each of said arms are associated and wherein the lever is provided with a stop means extending therefrom and adapted to alternately engage said stationary member and thereby prevent further arcuate movement of the lever and its associated arm from taking place after each arm has engaged and moved its said movable part a desired distance. 